A man has faced a backlash after admitting he plays music and videos aloud on the bus without headphones, offering what many have deemed a feeble justification when a fellow passenger asked him to stop. He explained that he catches the bus to work each morning, traveling just two stops, so he does not bother bringing headphones. Instead, he simply watches videos or listens to music through his phone's speaker.
Passenger's Polite Request Ignored
Despite insisting he always keeps the volume low, he took to Reddit to recount what unfolded during one of his recent commutes. He said: 'This morning, on the way to work, it was the last few minutes of the World Cup game and I was watching it on my phone with no headphones. I got onto the bus and, as it was mostly full and my journey is so short, I stayed standing at the front. I had the volume on, but extremely quiet. I could barely hear it myself. There were other sounds on the bus that were louder, like people chatting, so I didn't think anyone could even hear my phone.'
Then suddenly a man sitting just to his left asked if he had any headphones to watch the game. Despite the fellow passenger's polite request, the man maintained it should not be a problem given how low the volume was. He added: 'I said I could barely hear the volume, so I knew he would barely hear it too. He said, "Well, we're in a public enclosed space and it's really bothering me." I do wear headphones basically every day on the bus, and I understand bus etiquette is to wear them. But with how short my journey was and how quiet the volume was, I really didn't think it was an issue.'
Social Media Backlash
He also maintained that numerous other passengers routinely play music aloud without being questioned, even when it is considerably louder than his was. Looking for feedback, he asked: 'I don't think I was bothering anyone else on that bus. Am I the a**hole for A) not having headphones and B) not granting his request when he asked?' The majority of social media users backed the passenger, contending that wearing headphones is simply basic etiquette. One person said: 'Wearing headphones is a basic courtesy. If it was loud enough for someone to hear it and complain, it was too loud.' Another added: 'You are truly the most obnoxious kind of person.' A third said: 'You turn off the volume when someone asks, no matter how low it is or how short your trip is.'
Debate on Public Etiquette
The incident has sparked a wider debate online about public transport etiquette, with many arguing that playing audio without headphones is inconsiderate regardless of volume or journey length. Some commenters noted that even low sounds can be distracting in an enclosed space, and that respecting others' requests is paramount.
